Selective handle connection for floor polishing machines



Dec. 31, 1957 D. A. ARONES 2,818,312

SELECTIVE HANDLE comc'rlonroa FLOOR Pousmfic MACHINES Filed March 10;, 1955 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY SELECTIVE HANDLE CONNECTION FOR FLOOR POLISHING MACHINES Daniel A. Arones, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Advance Machine Company, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Application March 10, 1955, Serial No. 493,382

4 Claims. (Cl. 306-12) My invention relates to an improvement in floor polishing machines and more particularly to the handle thereof for moving the same over a surface and the connection of the handle to the machine whereby the machine may be selectively operated and used in various desirable ways.

It is an object of my invention to provide a handle and a selectable connection therefor for a floor polishing machine whereby the handle may be selectively locked in an approximately 45 position for treating fioors by an experienced operator Where the rotating action of the brush is utilized to propel the machine across the floor. It is a further object to provide a handle connection which also allows a selection of a floating or hinged up and down movement of the handle for the less experienced operator who pushes or pulls the unit across the floor. It is a further object to also provide the same handle connection which also automatically locks in a vertical position when the handle is moved into that position for storage of the machine or for tipping of the machine so that the same may be rolled and transported easily from place to place on the wheels mounted on the machine.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a vertically disposed quadrant member secured to the base of the machine and on which a latch member rides. The quadrant is provided with recesses into which the latch may be inserted and an upper shoulder which automatically directs the latch into an upper recess of the quadrant.

It is an additional feature to provide a spring biased latch member slidably and pivotally mounted on the lower end of the handle and having a catch member which is normally held in engagement with a shoulder formed adjacent a slot in the handle for a free floating of the handle but which is directed into the slot by a shoulder strategically placed on the upper portion of the quadrant which acts against the latch to move it automatically into the upper recess of the quadrant for rigid positioning of the handle.

I shall not here attempt to set forth and indicate all of the various objects and advantages incident to my invention, but other objects and advantages will be referred to in or else will become apparent from that which follows.

The invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing by way of example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout.

In the drawings forming part of the application:

Figure l is a side view illustrating a floor machine with my new handle and selective connection construction thereon with the handle in the free floating position and the latch in raised position.

Figure 2 is a side view of my handle connection in locked vertical position with a portion of the floor machine shown.

Figure 3 is a side view similar to Figure 2 but with the handle locked into approximately a 45 position.

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Figure 4 is a detailed perspective view of the end of the handle showing the slot detail thereof.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the end of the handle connection in an opposite view to that shown in Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 but with the latch member in locked raised position allowing free handle movement up to the vertical position shown in Figures 2 and 5.

Figure 7 is an exploded detailed perspective view of the latch member and a portion of the slot detail with the latch in lowered position as in Figures 2 and 5.

Figure 8 is a rear view of a portion of the machine showing the handle connection.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my floor polishing machine selective handle connection A is mounted on the lower housing B of the machine C. Rotatably mounted under the housing B is the circular brush D. The housing B has rotatably mounted on the rear thereof the fixed wheels 10. Further, I provide the upright bracket 11 which has formed on the lower end thereof the right angular portions 12 through which the bolts 13 extend and secure into the housing B to support the bracket 11 in a normally vertical position. The bracket 11 has formed on the upper portion thereof the substantially arcuated or quadrant portion 14 which has formed therein the lower notch 15 which is approximately 45 with respect to the base line of the bracket.

A notch 16 is formed in the upper part of the quadrant 14 and extending upwardly from the notch 16 is the shoulder 17. The notches 15 and 16 receive the latch shoulder portion hereinafter referred to as the handle portion 18, which has its counterpart 18', has formed on the lower end thereof the flattened portion 19 which includes the hole 20; The counterpart 18 is hinged at 18". The handle portion 18 is pivotally mounted on the bracket 11 by means of the bolt 21 which passes through the flat washer 22, the bracket 11, the fibre washer 22', the hole 20 of the flattened portion 19, the flat washer 23, and the lock washer 24, and is secured by the nut 25.

I further provide the elongated slot 26 formed in the flattened portion 19 of the handle member 18. The slot 26 has formed on the one edge thereof the offset notch 27 which is formed with the lower shoulder 28, the oblique edge 29, and the upper shoulder 30. In connection with the slot 26 I provide the latch member 31 formed with the upper threaded hole 32 and the lower threaded hole 33. Positioned against the inside of the flattened portion 19 opposite the latch 31 is the plate 34 through which extends the bolts 35 and 36.

The bolt 35 has positioned thereon the round .collar 37 of a diameter whereby the bolt 35 may be moved up and down in the slot 26. The bolt 36 has mounted thereon the square collar catch member 38 which is slidable in the slot 26 and also movable into the ofiset notch 27 as hereinafter described. The collar 37 and catch member 38 are of a thickness slightly greater than the thickness of the flattened portion 19 so the latch 31 and the plate 34 do not bind against the portion 19 when the bolts 35 and 36 are tightened. The bolts 35 and 36 are screwed into the holes 32 and 33 of the latch member 31, and the knob 39 is screwed onto the outer end of the bolt 36 to secure the same thereto.

Secured to the lower corner 40 of the plate 34 is the spring 41 the other end of which is secured to the flattened portion 19 at 42 to bias the plate 34 towards the oflfset notch 27 and generally downwardly towards the lower end of the flattened portion 19.

26, and as a result the biasing of the spring 41, the col- 13.138 is' drawn intothe offset notch- 27 and drawn against the shoulder 28 to keep the shoulder 43 of the latch member,31 in an upwardposition clear of the quadrant portion 14 of "the bracket 11, sojhat thehandle portions '18 and 18' may be pivoted freely from the pointof shoulder 17 downwardly past the lower notch 15-if desired. As the latch shoulder flfavpassesthe notch- 15,the,same,will not dropinto the notch 15,,for' the latch is in the raised r war posit n s e s d r b The inexperienced operator generally uses the machine with the lateh l 'vlin ,the freely pivotal position last de scribed, and as. indicated in Figure 1,-Whereby' the machine is moved oye-nthe floor by pushing or dragging the same w h. th s; 1

"The experienced operator may movethe handle so that thedatch 31 ,i.s opp osite'the lower notch' 15 and then move-the knob 39 against the biasing action of the spring 41 to iallow the collai 38 to be drawn out of'the offset notch 27. "At, this point the additional downward pull of'thespring 41 will draw the collar 38 downwardly into the lower end of the elongatedslot 26 againstthe bottom shoulder-30, and as a result'the latch'shoulder143 can easily slipinto'thenotch 15 to place the handle in rigid position on'the machine as in' Figure- 3, at about 45. II1 il'1lS latter locked position, the-experienced operator can, utilizefthe rotary motion of the brush'D to self-propel the machine. across'the'floor by'sirnple manipulation well known in the art. The handle is changed from the above 45 locked position by lifting up on the knob to lift the shoulder 43 from the notch 15. 'As a result the latch 31 is 'placedinthe secured lifted position as in'Figure 1 hereinbefore described Wherethe shoulder- 43 rides free of the edge of the quadrant 14 as the handle 18 is pivoted up and down. I

As; the handle is moved to the vertical position of Figure2 to thenotch 16' the forward eclge'44 of the shoulder 43 contacts the shoulder "17, and this action automatically, and ,without" further action by the operator, movesfthe; collar 38 out of the offset notch-27 and into the bottom of the notch 26 against the shoulder 30f Whereby the shoulder 43 slips into the notch 16 placing the handle 18 into an upright rigid position in which the same may be stored. v In the last mentioned locked position of the handle, and of greater importance, thema-chine may be easily tilted backwardly 'ontothe wheels; thereby raisingthe brush completely free of the fioor and allowing the machine to be moved about -on the wheels with the han'dle at about a 45 angle; With the-handle in any I other position the handle has to be additionally lowered and would then be too low for convenience with the brush free from the floor.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to thedetails set forth since these may be modified Within the scope of-the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

- Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

- 1. In a mobile floor polishing machine having a motor supporting housing and an operating handle extending therefrom, the improvement for mounting the handle on the housing to allow selectivefloating or rigid positioning of the handle thereon, said improvement comprising an upright bracket mounted on said housing, a double ended handle member having one end pivotally connected to said upright bracket, a quadrant formed on said bracket having an 7 upper and lower notch formed therein, a shoulder formed on said quadrantadjacent said upper notch, the lower portion of said handleend having an elongated slot-.formedi therein and aslot offset from said first slot and connecting therewith,- a latch.member-:slidably mounted pm said; handle end including catch means secured to said latch member extendable into said slot or said-offset slot by manipulation by-the operator or automatically by said shoulder when said latch member is caused to contact said shoulder, spring means for normally biasing said latch and said latch extension catch means generally downwardly and obliquely in relation to the longitudinal axis of said handle, and knob means seursdl s a d.l ts u enm na sa Qfi r m a putt said slot of said,-h andle and into saidoffset-slot to permit said latch to ride above and free of said quadrant, said knob meanssalso adaptedto move said catch means from said offse'tslot into saidelongated'slot to allow said latch to engage said lower notch or said upper notch of said antaut mat al xwhen; said-latchlis caused to contact said shoulderjor rigidPQ itiOHing of said handle on said housing in the position selected.

2. In a floor polishing machine having a housing and an operating handle extending therefrom, the improvement for mounting the handle on thehousing, said improvement comprising a bracket mounted on said housing and having a handlemember pivotally connected thereto, said bracketha v' g notches formed therein thelower end h ndlem m srz avins a o fQ m dt si Said hand e hay n v n pfi t. sl t 'e ts dins rpmo aidsla t s stab .In.q .t sa hand nan ttmm With a catc rprtiqn a r aa yez nd n esai al t, pr means sin a lat h do wa d y. 9 s idhan l t a saiisafihrsrfisa v w sa f e o .,a1, ea ..mqyins.., a dsatsh i qe th r sa ds or sa et lstf tsssasemm or nr u a me t fsa laugh wi h a dsspt lie i f a bracke i r -1 n. a" 1199 Polis n mashi nslusin e n an p at n handl texts d ns th e mmru h m e t f nfiwntins the h dt sn hebasesa d m ov m t sqmpr sin a. braskaad p sd tqbem un ion s ba said. .b ak thavins l -ll fi i l w h aw -Iwdv s lte sq abandhin m g votsmo nte t i said. b acke lat tmr an avi s i m a f e thereon and ,slid ably mounted. on said handle member, a lat asa s, f.en. a sab e.w a lat ece vin me sfts d. brack s hand yinstsl v n c6 necting otfset slot rneans formed thereinior receiving saidfeatch means means for, urging, said catchmeans e al y, downward y asai l m a b a d wards. s a id ofi set; slot means, shoulder means .on. said bracket for moving said latch neans to direct said catch means out of said iofiset, slot means. and .into, said :slot means to ,allowsaid latch; means to moveintosaid upper latch receivingmeans.

4. In a mobile .fioor. conditioning machine including a base andau o erating handle extending,therefronnthe p oveme tsbmnt s s b a k t o n on s ba a n e.memh tn vt l y m un o said bra k tan having a slot formed therein, a catch member slidably mounted in said slot, shoulder meansv formed on said ha d e adiase tt a isslo m a o u n s i catch membefldownwardlyin said slot and in the direction of saidshoulder ill 3138,, means for moving said catchin said Refe ence tedinshe. ept. t p te LUNIIEDaSIAIE RAlZEzNI 1,573,467 Wiehle -Feb. 16,1226 

